Chapter Twenty-Nine

 

She slowly stood upright and turned to face him. His gaze was unnervingly maniacal, and for an instant Eilis thought she might faint.

Before she had a chance to think, Fergus pulled the letter opener from her fingers and tossed it across the room. He grabbed her around the throat and hauled her to the bed, throwing her down on it.

Try as she might to pretend this wasn’t happening to her, reality told her it was. And she had to do something, fast, or suffer whatever he was going to do to her.

She gathered herself together and scrambled away from him. He caught her quickly in his vice grip and pulled her back. Fear ripped through her now; her whole body shook with it. She used her feet to kick at him as she tried to scoot herself away from him. He was quick, too quick, and was on top of her before she could blink.

The smell of the bed linens engulfed her. They smelled sour, like sweat and something else indefinable.

Fergus must have been hiding in her house. He hadn’t gone to England at all. But how had he gotten in?

She tried pushing away from him once more, pressing against the sheets to move, but her fingers slipped in something cold and tacky and she fell backwards. She gagged at the thought of what it was.

Fergus pressed his body into hers, anger creasing his face, as he fought to capture her hands in his. She whimpered when he jammed his knee between her legs.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for you, Eilis?” Once he had her wrists bound in his grip, he leaned into her. His breath was heavy on her face and she gagged on the liquored smell of it.

“What are you doing in my house?” she continued fighting him for release.

“I’ve been waiting for you. You’ve been gone a long time.” He pushed his other leg between hers and pressed his groin into her. She tried to move away from him, but he had her up against the headboard now and there was nowhere else to go.

“I’ve been sick,” she heard herself sob, and fought for control of her emotions. Her body was still weak from her illness, but she would try her hardest to get Fergus to leave.

“Yeah,” he drew out. “I saw how sick you were downstairs just now. I thought I told you to leave that loser alone. He’s no good for you, Eilis.”

“He’s a better man than you, you gobshite!” she spat. “Get off me. Get out of my house and I’ll forget this ever happened.” She hoped she sounded convincing, though she knew she’d be on the phone to the Gardai the moment he left.

He must have known it too, because he only pressed her harder into the bed.

“I’ll get off, all right, in my own time.” He dipped his face into the opening of her blouse. She heard him sniff between her breasts where the perspiration was pooling with fear. He licked the cleft and she heard him groan. She knew her fear excited him because he pressed his hardness between her legs once again.

Tears streamed down her face. She knew what he intended and there was nothing she could do to fight him off. She couldn’t even get her knee up between his legs to give him what he deserved.

“Please, Fergus. There’s no use in this. You’re already in trouble. Don’t add this to the list of offenses.” She thought she could convince him things would go easier on him if he left. Once she was up, she’d bolt.

“They framed me,” he insisted. “If I’m going down, it will be for good reason, and not before I taste you. God, I’ve waited so long for this.” He clasped both of her hands over her head in one vice-like grip and, with his free hand, he ripped her blouse open. Buttons flew out around them.

♥ ♥ ♥

As Kieran neared the M50, something strong hit him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. He fought to control the bike to keep it from flipping. When he skidded to the edge of the road, another pain gripped him and he doubled over. Something was wrong.

Fear shook him as he pulled the bike onto the hard shoulder. He spun the bike around and gunned the motor. The rear wheel spun out, sending up a black cloud of smoke, gravel and dirt as he raced against oncoming traffic. It swerved and skidded all around him and horns blared as he headed for the first off-ramp. At least he was driving with the flow of traffic now, even if he was driving twice as fast as they were.

It seemed to take forever until he pulled up in front of Eilis’s house. He barely got the kickstand down before racing up the front steps. He tried the front door but it was locked. He pounded on it, yelling, “Eilis! Eilis, it’s Kieran. Open the door.” There was nothing but silence from inside the house.

He knew she was in there. He felt her. And she was in trouble. He felt her fear.

He threw his weight against the door but it was heavy and unyielding, and he nearly found himself thrown down the steps as it repelled him. He stood on the sidewalk and looked up to the upper windows hoping to see her there.

“Eilis!” he called again and again until a neighbor stepped out of the house and yelled over to him.

“I’ll call the Gardai if you don’t stop with all that racket. She’s not home,” the woman hollered.

“She is home. I just dropped her off. Something’s wrong,” he told the woman. “Do you have a key?” The woman’s eyes grew wide and she shook her head. “Call the Gardai,” he said and grabbed a pot from the stoop and hurled it at a front window. The woman disappeared into her house and slammed the door behind her. Kieran didn’t have time to wonder if the woman was doing as he told her or not. His main concern was getting to Eilis.

He threw his legs over the black iron railing and, using the old lead drainpipe for leverage, hauled himself onto the wide windowframe to stand on the sill. Bless the Georgians who built these houses with large windows. He kicked enough glass out of the window frame to get in, then stood and listened. There was silence in the house.

“Eilis!” He continued to be met with silence.

He raced from room to room looking for her. The kitchen was empty, as were the pantry, back room and downstairs toilet. Standing in the foyer once more, he looked up the wide winding staircase. He heard something then. A muffled cry and a slamming door.

Without thinking, he took the stairs by twos and threes until he was at the first landing. There were several doors in a circle around him, the stairs continuing to circle upward, but there was one closed door and he went to it. He tried the knob but it was locked.

“Eilis, open the door,” he called, trying to stay calm. He heard fumbling on the other side of the door and another muffled cry and knew she was in there. He slammed his body against the door. It was solid but not like the front door. He’d get through it if it killed him. He stood back and threw his weight into the kick. It landed at the edge of the door near the old latch. The door splintered instantly and flew open. It crashed against the wall inside the room and startled the man on the bed with Eilis.

Fergus! Kieran recognized him from The Little Man.

Without thinking, Kieran was across the room and put his fist into the man’s face. It sent him sprawling off the bed. Blood spurted from his nose as he landed with a heavy thud against the chest of drawers.

Kieran turned to look at Eilis, but Fergus was already up and grabbing the dressing table chair. Kieran felt it crack against his wrist as he blocked the attack. Ignoring the pain, he flew at the man, punching him again and sending him slamming against the wall between a pair of large windows.

Fergus stood for a moment, his hate-filled gaze bearing down on Kieran. Blood dripped from his nose and ran down the front of him. His eyes flicked around the room quickly, Kieran was sure for escape. But there was none. As long as he was still alive, Fergus would not leave this room on his own.

Then the man pulled himself away from the wall and put himself into a defensive stance. He wanted to fight. Crouching slightly, he egged Kieran on with a flick of his fingers in a come-on motion.

Kieran didn’t want to fight this man. But he didn’t want him to escape either. He had hurt so many women, including the one he loved. He deserved whatever punishment the courts would dole out to him. He backed away, not wanting to shed more blood. He only wanted to protect Eilis and keep Fergus from leaving. But the man launched himself forward, his teeth bared and an unholy growl coming from deep within his chest.

Before he reached him, Kieran spun on the ball of one foot and whipped his other leg in the air. His booted foot caught Fergus in the face and sent him flying back across the room.

As if it were happening in slow motion, Kieran watched Fergus fly through one of the bedroom windows in a tangle of limbs and curtains. Kieran turned his gaze away from shattering glass. The man’s muffled cry ended suddenly. Then came the sound of screaming from the street. Kieran didn’t have to look to know Fergus lay dead on the footpath.

All thoughts of what had just happened vanished when he reached Eilis’s side. Kieran felt something twist in his stomach again, but knew it had nothing to do with the feeling they shared. It was disgust. Her limbs were bound, her blouse ripped open, and a gag was in her mouth. She was in shock but fully conscious.

He freed her from her binds and enveloped her in his arms when she threw herself at him. He rocked her back and forth, whispering words of love in her ear.

The breath caught in Kieran’s throat when he saw the bruises on her face and her bloody nose. The bastard had hit her. “If he’s not dead already, I’ll kill him.”

♥ ♥ ♥

As soon as the ambulance arrived, paramedics treated Eilis’s cuts and bruises and splinted Kieran’s wrist. Fortunately their injuries could be treated then and there. It was recommended that Kieran get his wrist x-rayed, but he refused to leave her side.

Eilis’s heart swelled with emotion. God only knew what Fergus would have done to her if Kieran hadn’t come to her rescue.

They had already given statements to the officers, but she knew when the detective inspector arrived they’d be properly interrogated. She couldn’t bear it if Kieran was taken to jail for what had happened.

She’d been in a state of shock, but even if she hadn’t been, she couldn’t see the men fighting from where she lay bound on the bed. But she’d heard it all. Her stomach lurched remembering the sound of bones cracking and fists meeting flesh. Thanks to that connection she shared with Kieran, when she heard the glass shatter she instantly knew it wasn’t him who had gone through the window. And right now, he was the only thing keeping her calm.

She felt herself shiver as memories assailed her.

“It’ll be all right, love,” Kieran assured her.

She nodded and tried to smile. “I just want this to be over.”

“It will be, love. I promise.”

He almost made her believe it would be. But they were still waiting for the detective inspector to arrive and her anxiety levels were rising. The officer assigned to make sure they didn’t leave wasn’t helping matters any. He stood over them with his hands clenched behind his back, not staring at them, but she felt his presence just the same.

From where they sat on the living room sofa, they watched several officers move around her home as they collected evidence samples and took photographs. She heard Mrs. Finnegan being interviewed from her front stoop, telling the officer how Fergus had been seen regularly in the area while Eilis was away.

Her home. Somehow she didn’t think she could ever call this house her home again. Everything had changed. Her heart sank as the love of this house dissipated.

Just then the D.I. came through the door, pulling her from her thoughts. By way of introduction, the man simply said, “Inspector Quinn,” as he seated himself in a chair on the other side of the coffee table and started rifling though the file he carried with him.

Kieran pulled her into the crook of his arm, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

“I’ve just read your statements,” he started. She felt Kieran tense beside her. She wondered again if he would go to jail. Would he be arrested for murder? He’d saved her life. They couldn’t send him to jail. She’d spend every penny she had to keep him out.

“Seems the deceased, one Fergus Manley, has been at this for some time.”

“Can we cut to the chase and just tell us what we need to know? It’s been a long day and Eilis has been through a lot. We’d just like to get past this,” said Kieran.

She couldn’t agree more.

Quinn’s nod was curt. “Our team inspected Mr. Manley’s residence and found a collection of women’s undergarments hidden in a box in the bottom of his closet. There was also a large container of Flunitrazepam packets.”

“Flunitrazepam?” Kieran asked. “What’s that when it’s at home?”

“Have you ever heard of Rohypnol?” They both nodded. “Flunitrazepam is the clinical name for Rohypnol, the ‘date rape’ drug. It’s one of the sedative drugs traditionally used as an anesthetic and as a sleeping aid. While it’s strictly managed through legal routes, it’s easily obtainable on the black market. It’s actually illegal in many countries because of its hallucinogenic properties — Ireland being one of those countries. Taken with alcohol, it can render a person unconscious for up to 24 hours, and without any memory of recent events on waking. Manley was using this drug on his victims. He was lucky he didn’t kill someone.”

Quinn continued flipping through his files as he spoke.

“Many of the garments were bloodstained.” Eilis flinched noticeably. “Sorry, miss,” Quinn said, looking at her over the rim of his glasses. “It appears he had a fetish for virgins and the soiled garments were souvenirs of the conquest.”

“Do you know why he was fixated with Eilis?” asked Keiran.

Quinn looked directly at her. “You worked with him. What was he like? Did he give you any indication there was something going on?”

“Fergus had a bit of a . . . reputation. There are a lot of men in this business who use their status to get what they want.”

“Did he ever try anything with you?”

Eilis was quiet for a moment. She only had suspicions. “Nothing I can prove.”

“Don’t protect him now, love.” Kieran turned to Quinn. “The man was a menace. We’ve talked about his attempts to get Eilis into bed and her feelings about the man. He gave her time off recently, then badgered her to return to work once he knew she was with me. And now we find he’s been living in her house, waiting for her to return to do God-only-knows-what.”

“Forgive me for being too personal, but perhaps he thought you were a virgin,” Quinn suggested. “Were you open about your sex life at work, or even just with him?”

Eilis felt her body flush with embarrassment. She couldn’t very well tell this man, detective or not, that she had been Ireland’s oldest virgin until recently.

“I’m not a virgin,” she said cautiously.

Kieran faced her full on. His gaze bore sympathy. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Eilis. Tell him.”

She felt her eyes well. Her sex life was personal. It was something she wanted to only share with Kieran. She’d buried her feelings so deep for so long, but since Kieran had awakened them it was like her whole life was exploding around her. She was just coming to terms with how she could love someone as deeply as she loved Kieran. On top of that, her awakened sexual desires had her emotions all over the place. She was still unsure about her sexuality and what Kieran made her feel, and now she was expected to talk freely about it all. And to a total stranger.

She buried her face in her palms with mortification. She felt Kieran’s arms around her, pulling her against him.

“Eilis kept her personal life and work life separate. She’s a traditional woman, Detective. Until recently, she was still inexperienced. She was waiting.”

Bless Kieran for his delicacy.

“Do you think Manley knew this and assumed you were still a virgin when you returned home today, Ms. Kennedy?” Quinn asked.

“No, he knew things had changed.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Kieran look at her. She gazed at him for a moment, then turned her attention back to the D.I.

“He saw Kieran and me kissing when I got home. He knew I wasn’t a virgin anymore.” She blushed but continued. “Obligation got in the way or Fergus would have seen a lot more.” She stiffened her spin and resolve, burying her embarrassment, and looked back to the inspector. “He knew.”

Quinn sat back in the chair again. He made notes in his files and as he wrote, he said, “By the evidence we found upstairs,” they knew he meant the bindings, “it looks like he’d been planning this for some time. He probably meant to do this regardless.”

He scribbled something else before looking back at her.

“Do you know why he would have singled you out for such a violent act? I mean, it’s obvious now he’d been dating women from your office and ultimately drugging them. What I want to know is why he focused this kind of attention on you. Why didn’t you go out with him like the others?”

Eilis sat up straighter, gathering some semblance of pride.

“At work I’m known as the Ice Queen. No one has said it to my face, but I’ve heard them talk. I’m serious about my work and the people I represent. I’ve worked hard to get where I am at Eireann Records. Fergus has been very suggestive with me over the years but I’ve always turned him away. I’ve tried to maintain a certain decorum with him. I value my job at E.R. and didn’t want him fabricating lies to get me fired just because I wouldn’t sleep with him.”

“Do you think this is why he focused his attentions on you?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know why he was focused on me. Maybe it was because I was the only one to say ‘no’ to him.”

Quinn nodded curtly. “Hmm,” was all he said and made more notes.

“I guess I hoped he’d eventually get bored with me. I never realized he was so obsessed.”

“What I don’t understand, Mr. Vaughan, is how you knew Ms. Kennedy was in trouble.” The man removed the glasses from the tip of his nose and put down his pen, staring at the two of them. He crossed his arms in front of him. “According to the neighbors, you were seen here last week causing a stir. Then you show up again today and throw a man from a window. Care to explain any of this?”

“Inspector,” Eilis interjected, “Kieran was here last week as my guest. I don’t know what the neighbors have told you, but you know how gossip can be. A man in Merrion Square on a Harley Davidson is bound to set tongues wagging.”

Quinn nodded his agreement, but the seriousness in his gaze didn’t leave his expression.

“I’ve been on a short holiday with Kieran down the country. He brought me home this afternoon. Almost as soon as he left, I found Fergus in my house. When Kieran came back and I didn’t open the door to him, he thought something was wrong. I don’t begrudge his methods of getting in or how he dealt with the situation. He saved my life.” She said the last softly, gazing up at the man she loved.

“That much I understand. What I don’t understand is why you came back, Mr. Vaughan. You’d only just left. You’ve just admitted to an obligation on the other side of town. What brought you back so soon?” Quinn persisted.

Kieran’s gaze focused on her. She saw his love burning there. When he finally answered the inspector, his voice was calm and full of that love.

“Just look at her.” After a moment he turned his gaze back to the inspector. “How could I stay away?”

Quinn’s body noticeably relaxed for the first time since he’d arrived.

“Well,” was all he could say.

Kieran wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and threaded his fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck, drawing her into his arms. She went easily and rested her cheek on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head then laid his stubbled cheek on her forehead.

A moment later, Quinn continued. “Mr. Vaughan, tell me about what happened once you found Manley upstairs.”

“We’d heard the news of what he’d done. Finding him in Eilis’s house and seeing what he’d done to her made me see red. I didn’t want a fight, but he came at me repeatedly,” Kieran said, holding up his splinted wrist, “and I did what I had to do to protect Eilis.”

“Does that protection include killing a man?” Quinn asked.

“Inspector, in that instant, I learned two things. One, that I would do anything to protect Eilis. And two, there were some moments one could never take back, no matter how hard they wished they could. I just wanted to keep him from escaping so the authorities could deal with him. What happened was an accident.”

Quinn made a few more notes in his files before closing them. Standing, he said, “We’ll be a while longer here. Do you have somewhere you can take Ms. Kennedy for the night?” Kieran nodded and gave the inspector his address in Finglas. “We’ll make sure the window is properly boarded and the doors are locked on our way out. You’re free to leave when you’re ready. I think we have enough evidence to close this case tonight. There will be no charges filed against you, Mr. Vaughan. But don’t be surprised if our President gives you a commendation for what you’ve done here tonight.”

“I’ve already got the only commendation I need.” Kieran rose and pulled her to her feet. He cast a glance back to the D.I. and said, “If you’ll excuse us.” Quinn just nodded as Eilis’ leather-clad hero escorted her through the front door to a waiting police car. Neither of them was in any condition to take his bike.

♥ ♥ ♥

The journey to Finglas was the longest of his life. Kieran wanted to get Eilis as far away from Merrion Square as he possibly could. He would have preferred the warm little cottage in the mountains of West Cork, but his little terrace house in Finglas would have to do for now. She was safe and with him, and that was all that mattered.

The officer dropped them at his front door. Once through it, he pulled Eilis into his arms and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom where he held her through the night.